Device for preventing the spread of railway-rails.



P. H. TRUMAN.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING THE SPREAD 0F RAILWAY RAILS.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 10, 1913.

Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

m T N V m v i MM, ATTORNEYJ LUMIHA PLANOGRAPH c0 WASHING pnrrn stares rair'nivr opinion.

PIERCIVAL H. TRUMAN, 0F EVANSTON, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR TO LAAS & SPONENBURG $0., A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. as, rare.

Application filed March 10, 1913. Serial No. 753,269.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PERCIVAL H. TRUMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Evanston, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for Preventing the Spread of Railway-Rails, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for bracing railroad rails against the side thrusts of the car wheels and preventing the same from spreading or tilting; and the object of the invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, one-piece device which will accomplish this result while permitting the rail to be raised or shimmed up from the ties if necessary.

The invention is illustrated, in a preferred embodiment, in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure l is an end elevation of the device showing in section the rail and tie to which it is applied; Fig. 2, a plan view, and Fig. 3, a view similar to Fig. 1 showing the rail raised from the tie by means of shims.

Like characters of reference designate like parts in the several figures of the drawing.

\ Referring to the drawing, A designates a T-section railroad rail of the ordinary type, and B one of the ties on which the rail is supported and to which it is spiked by spikes C.

The device of my invention consists, in the preferred form' shown, of an upright member D formed with a vertical flat surface E against which the base flange F of the rail A may bear at difierent levels; and of a horizontal base member Gr adapted to rest upon the tie B and to be secured thereto by the spikes H, or other suitable securing devices, the base member G being apertured, for this purpose, with any suitable number of spike holes I. Preferably the upright member D is formed at its upper extremity with an integrally formed projection J which extends inwardly, that is, toward the rail, and bears against the vertical web K of the rail. The device, if cast, is preferably formed with the rigidifying and strengthening flanges L, M.

Fig. 3 shows the rail A raised from the tie B by the shims O. The rail can be raised from the tie in this manner, as will be seen, without disturbing the brace which serves its purpose within the limits imposed by the size and configuration of such device regardless of the vertical position of the rail.

The necessity for shimming up railroad rails during the winter months gives rise to conditions which are fraught with considerable danger unless great precautions are taken. The rails of a railroad track have to be shimmed up in different places because of the heaving of the road-bed, due to frost, which will vary in amount according to the character of the ballast and sub-soil. It is not feasible to raise the tie. It is necessary to withdraw the spikes and raise the rail from the tie. This results in insecurity which is one of the principal objects of my invention to overcome. The greatest danger is that the rail in its new position will spread because of the lateral thrust of the wheels. The ordinary rail brace cannot be used where the rail is raised on shims. If such brace were also placed on the shims the latter, being thin, would not afford it any secure fastening.

My device is designed particularly to be used in places where a rail has to be periodically shimmed up. It braces the rail in its position on the tie and also, which is more important, when it rests upon the shims. The fastenings of the device do not have to be disturbed when the rail is raised or lowered. The device is permanently fastened to the tie itself. It is an integral, and therefore, a rigid device which is important when one considers that strength and rigid attachment to the tie are absolutely essential.

I claim: 4

l. A device of the character described con sisting of an upright member having a flat vertical surface against which one edge of the base of a rail may abut at different heights, formed at its upper end with a projection adapted to bear against the vertical web of said rail and at the lower end with an oppositely projecting base member adapted to be spiked to a tie on which said rail is disposed base member adapted to be spiked suppoi'ted. f h d b d to a tie on which said rail is supported.

2. device 0 the c aracter escri e consisting of an upright member having a flat PERGIVAL TRUMAN 5 vertical surface against which one edge of Witnesses:

the rail base may abut at difi'erent heights, L. A. FALKE'NBERG, formed at the lower end with a horizontally H. M. GILLESPIE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G." 

